


Operation: Final Dusk

by Danksuna



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Metal Gear
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 10:47:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16173530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danksuna/pseuds/Danksuna
Summary: This started out as a day dream of Beruka eating snakes in the woods.





	Operation: Final Dusk

Daylight breaks in the dense forest of Southern Russian. Leaves crunch underneath Beruka sleeping on the forest floor. The air is chilly, with her breath clearly visible against the tree line. Beruka’s camouflage uniform fits snuggly making a vacuum of warmth. Beruka lays on the ground, her eyes wide open staring blankly at the large expanse of nature in front of her. Valleys of green and the indentations from rivers snake across the landscape. A few embers smolder beside Beruka in a small fire pit lined with stone.

The charred remains of a half eaten snake sit skewered above the smoldering flame. Beruka picks up the stick and smells the meat. It doesn't smell like anything, Beruka glad of this revelation bites into the snakes flesh. The crunchy black exterior skin erupts into juicy sour tasting metallic flesh. Beruka grimaces with each bite, the charred meat crunches acting as a constant reminder to what Beruka is eating. With the last bite Beruka is left with a nauseous feeling.

Beruka looks down at the head of her meal. It lies still fresh as if it had just been killed. Beruka picks up the head of the snake, its jaw swings open revealing a set of two large fangs dripping venom. Beruka pulls out the only piece of equipment she has, a combat knife and cuts out the two sacks of venom in the snake's head. One gland she carefully wraps in a small piece of cloth and stores away in a pocket. The second sack Beruka squeezes into her hand. The venom is syrupy with a sour smell that burns the tip of Beruka’s nose. Beruka dabs her pinky finger in the fluid and runs the residue on her lip.

The taste is extremely bitter and burns as if it will rip a hole in Beruka's skin. Beruka smiles, the familiar taste reminds Beruka of her last operation with Camilla. Venoms were always a handy way to get rid of a target. The taste cuts through the lingering taste of metallic snake flesh.

* * *

Beruka flinches as the codec in her ear erupts in a buzzing sound. Beruka exhales one last puff of steamy air and puts on the codec headset. The frequency is set to 140.85 with the call coming from mission control.

“Good you're finally awake ” a voice says over the codec.

Beruka examines the codec display and flips through the images to see the image of Kagero, Beruka's mission commander for this operation.

“Beruka it's time to get a move on,” Kagero says in a demanding tone.

“I heard you,” Beruka says.

Beruka brings herself to her feet but her knees buckle. Some gasps are heard over the codec. Beruka unable to stand gently rubs the knife and gunshot wounds still lingering on her body.

“Beruka are you injured?” a new voice asks over the codec.

“Who's that!” Beruka shouts. “Who else is with you?” Beruka then asks.

“This is a good time to tell you but our mission is receiving higher priority given the circumstances,” Kagero says.

“What does that mean?” Beruka asks.

“It means meet our new medical expert” Kagero says changing the codec display. Orochi appears on Beruka's codec.

“Beruka are you still injured?” Orochi asks.

“Nothing I can't manage ” Beruka says. She squeezes a tender spot on the front of her right leg.

“Beruka! Our sensors indicate that there is still bullet in you,” Orochi scolds.

“Like I said nothing I can’t handle,” Beruka says reaching for a combat knife strapped to her ankle. Beruka sits herself on the ground. She pulls her legs up so that the top of her thighs are in sight. She looks over the many faintly red spots on her uniform. She touches at one spot, it hurts but Beruka only flinches.

“It’s lower,” Orochi says. Beruka touches at a lower spot and this one makes her clench her teeth in pain.

Beruka reaches for another spot but before she can touch it she hears Orochi say “Not that one."

She then touches the last spot radiating pain and this one makes her consciousness slip into the back of her head. Everything goes blank for a moment. As Beruka's eyesight returns Orochi brightly says over the codec, “Congrats you found it."

Beruka loosens the straps around her waist and undoes her belt. She pulls down her pants to properly treat the wound. Beruka holds her breath and digs into the wound with her knife. Stabbing is second nature to Beruka but field medicine was still a new concept to her. She wedges the knife back and forth bringing a flat spent bullet to the surface. The wound drips blood from the sloppy surgery but it already feels better. Beruka exhales and in between breaths asks, “How are you sensing me?”

Beruka pours antiseptic over her wounds. It stings worse than plunging the knife into her leg.

“I’ll handle this, ” another new voice says over the codec.

“There's more of you,” Beruka says confused.

The codec switches over to a picture of Effie.

“Hey Beruka I’m your tactical expert on this mission,” Effie says casually. “Oh your on this mission… cool” Beruka says.

Beruka sutures her larger bullet wound closed clenching her teeth throughout.

“What's that about, you weren't happy to see me being part of this mission,” Kagero says.

“To be honest I'm not even sure why your here” Beruka says with a smug about her. Orochi laughs in the background of the call.

“I'm your mission commander but I'm also your stealth expert. You and I know that your an expert assassin but that doesn't always translate to a long term survival stealth infiltration mission ” Kagero says.

Beruka wraps the final bandages onto her legs. Beruka feeling much more put together pulls her pants back up. “I understand but how are you sensing me?” Beruka asks.

The codec switches back to Effie. “A series of extremely high altitude spy planes especially deployed  for this mission,” Effie says.

“You weren't lying about this being a priority mission” Beruka says. The codec switches back to Kagero but the image holds on Kagero as she has hesitates.

“Given…. Her…the circumstances,“ Kagero says stumbling over words.

“Say her name it's fine I have already accepted the reality,” Beruka says flatly.

There is a long pause in the codec call.

“We all know how dangerous Camilla is, especially to her enemies, the Senate is just as afraid of facing her as you are ” Kagero says.

“I'm not afraid,” Beruka says returning the knife to its ankle strap. Beruka stands looking down the many wooded paths she can take. The orange light shines between the trees and the only sounds are that of the wind and birds.

“Good you will need get a move on you've already lost lots of precious time,” Kagero asserts over the codec. Beruka growls.

“What Kagero meant was that we wish you luck on your mission and you should stay catious; Camilla's forces are already on the move,” Orochi says in a peppy tone.

* * *

Birds suddenly dispurce in a tree behind Beruka and then a faint rumbling is heard just over a ridge. Beruka reaches under the blue bandana wrapped around her head and grabs a mini pair of binoculars. Looking up at the ridge she sees the outline of a massive tank rolling over the ridge of a mountain. As its midsection struggles against the ridge the ground begins to subtly shake.

A motorcycle then speeds by at a lower ravine, hundreds of feet away. Beruka tries to follow the motorcycle with her binoculars as it zips through trees and gaps, all while avoiding several the other motorcycles chasing them. It disappears into the lower reaches of the wooded valley where gunshots then erupt.

Beruka stands stumped already baffled by how complicated this operation has already become.

“What are you doing? Go investigate what's going on,” Kagero says.

Beruka doesn't respond, she turns off her codec and puts the headset away. Beruka then steps down into the ravine plunging into the dark foreign valley.


End file.
